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DOCifigki-RtSUkE

ED 325 884 CS 507 325

AUTHOR Oseguera, A. Anthony

TITLE Historicity, The Te2evision Critic, and the ThirdWorld Scholar.

PUB DATE Oct 90NOTE 28p.; Paper presented at the World Conference (3rd,

Omaha, NE, October 4-6, 1990).

PUB TYPE Speeches/Conference Papers (150) -- Viewpoints (120)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Audfences; *Critical Viewing; Criticism; Developing

Nations; Evaluation Methods; Higher Education; MassMedia; *Mass Media Role; Mass Media Use; *TelevisionViewing

IDENTIFIERS Course Development; Historical Methods; ResearchPriorities; *Television Criticism; *Third World

ABSTRACTThe communication technologies of television and

common carriers have an important correlativity to message formation,due to their ability to bring the public information at lightningspeed. Historicity, the science of writing history, can be used bythe television critic in order critique national and internationalbroadcasting. Blacks, Asians, and Hispanica worldwide, like the restof humanity, are attempting to improve their lives. Masscommunication has not kept pace with the new reality of these people:their needs are not met. The United Nations (UN) Summit is animportant communication event; this UN effort might inspire the massmedia to bring more relevant information. Unfortunately, the massestrust television, but they are not equipped to interpret it.-Coursework in American colleges and universities is needed to train criticsin historicity and other stylology. Whenstudents who are properlytrained work in the field, valuable, correct fee...lick can be given togovernment and to private and public groups involved in messageformation. Critics can alert the audience to discrepancies in thereportage of broadcasting through the use of historicity and otherstylology. Broadcasting can be made to change its course in order tobecome more meaningful to the world it serves. International scholarscan also use historicity when using television as a source toadequately abstract television's reality. (fifteen references areattached.) (MG)

******** ************* *

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

R. H.:

Historicity, TV, and the World

Historicity, The Television Critic, and

The Third World Scholar

A. Anthony Oseguera

Mass Communication

Eastern Illinois University

University of Nebraska--Omaha

Third World Conference

Radisson Hotel

Omaha, Nebraska

October 4-6, 1990

Historicity , TV, and the World

"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL AS BEEN GRANTED BY

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."

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U.S. DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATIONOnce ol Educational Research and Improvmnt

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

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Points of view or opinions 'fat rid in this docu-mnt do not ncessarily reprsent officialOERI position or policy


Dedication:

To Maggie

3

3

Wstoricity, 1,-, and the World

Abstract

Thesis:

2

The science of writing history, historicity, can be

used by television critics in order to better comprehend,

critique, and assess the essence of what passes for

international broadcasting, specifically television news;

crisis situations that impinge on all of society are

mentioned as "news focus around the world" that bring us

closer together; and, state-of-the-art communication

technology is presented here as an important correlativity to

TV criticism.

Summary:

The communication technologies of television and

common carriers have an important correlativity to message

formation, due to their ability to bring us information at

lightning speed.. Historicity, the science of writing

history, can be used by the TV critic in order to critique

national and international broadcasting. International

scholars will benefit by using this stylology, because,

television is now regarded as a legitimate source of

information.

Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics worldwide, like the

rest of humanity, are attempting to improve their lives.

Mass communication, however, has not kept pace with the new

reality of these people: Their needs are not met. The UN

Summit, on behalf of the world's chiidren, is an important

communication event; and, this UN effort might inspire the


3

mass media to bring us more relevant information, instead of

the usual banal offerings.

Unfortunately, the masses trust TV, but they are

not equipped to interpret it. Professionals in the field

also lack the skills to critique TV, as demonstrated by their

lack of attention to the "use" of "formal" criteria. Course

work in American colleges and universities is needed to train

critics in historicity and other stylology. When students,

properly trained, work in the field, valuable, correct

feedback can be given to government, private, and public

groups involved in message formation.

Conclusions:

The interaction between properly trained critics

and professional newscasters and their reporters will result

in better television. Society is the beneficiary. The best

citizenry is a correctly informed one. Critics can alert us

to discrepancies in the reportage of broadcasting thLough

the use of "historicity" and other ,stylology. Broadcasting

can be made to change its course in order to become more

meaningful to the world it serves. Finally, international

scholars can also use "historicity" when using TV as a source

to adequately abstract television's reality.

This material is currently being used by the Speech Communication Department

at Eastern Illinois University in the graduate course entitled SPC 5330:

Media Criticism and in both .:t.aduate and undergraduate seminars in inter-

national broadcasting.

5

=11.

a

Title Sheet

Dedication

Abstract

Thesis


Table of Contents:

ii

1

2

4

Television, Communication Technology, and Information: 4

Cable TV, Telephoney, Cellular Radio, and Fiber Optics 4

Out of Harm's Way Toward a Safer World 5

The Middle East and Europe: 5

The United Nations and America against Iraq 5

Palestinians 6

The Children of the Third World: 7

Africans and African-Americans 7

Asians and Asian-Americans 8

Hispanics and Hispanic-Americans 9

The Eyes and Ears of the Planet 12

The F.C.C. and Deregulation 13

The TV Critic's Responsibility 14

The Ratings Game and the Need to Survive 15

The Money Machine versus the Content of TV 16

Historicity, the Critic's Friend 17

The International Scholar/The Latinamericanist 18

Through Whose Eyeglasses? 19

Summary 19

Conclusion 21

References 23

Acknowledgements 25


4

Thesis:

The science of writing history, historicity,

can be used by television critics in order to better

comprehend, critique, and assess the essence of what passes

for international broadcasting, specifically television news;

crisis situations that impinge on all of society are

mentioned as "news focus around the world" that brings us

closer together; and, state-of-the-art communication

technology is presented here as an important correlativity to

TV criticism.

(Text)

Television, Communication Technology, and Information:

Today, a large part of the world is bonded

together by the need to know information, as quickly and as

accurately as possible. This bonding is enhanced by the

continual improvement of television and communication

technology, with its ability to reach mass audiences around

the world, at lightning speed; moreover, many more people

today, worldwide, have television in their homes, or have

access to television receivers.

Cable TV, Telephoney, Cellular Radio, and Fiber Optics:

Most recently in the US, Cable TV 's replacing the

old copper wiring, in the coaxial cable, with new fiber optic

wiring. The fiber optic, the size of a human hair, but

hollow on the inside to accommodate lase...s, nas already been

in use for some time now by the telephone industry; in

addition, the young cellular radio industry now boasts that

7


5

three out of four Americans are living in cellular radio

areas. Although the analogue signal will only permit some

1500 subscribers to use the new technology, mostly business

firms residing within the area of a small city, switching to

a digital signal will greatly increase cellular's capacity,

thus, allowing for more customer use by the regular land

phone user.

Cellular radio is now in Canada, Mexico, and in

many European countries. England seems to have the lead in

that part of the world. Before the year 2000, no doubt,

cellular radios will be commonplace in most developed

countries and in some developing nations.

Out of Harm's Way Toward a Safer World

The need to know by humans, then, and the ability

to suffice that need by television and other modern

communication technology, not to mention the existing mass

media, i. e., radio, film, newspapers, magazines, and books,

make the decades ahead appear more stable; because, an

informed government and citizenry, with lead time provided by

these communication technologies, can adequately deal with

potential catastrophes. Nevertheless, in the short term at

least, we can count on a number of crises taking place on our

planet earth!

The Middle East and Europe:

The United Nations and America against Iraq:

At this writing, the United States, its allies,

and the world at large, are concerned that the leadership in

8


6

Iraq will not heed the warnings made by the United Nations.

The UN has made it crystal clear that Iraq's annexation of

Kuwait is illegal and that the Kuwaiti government should be

restored immediately. The idea of war is as old as mankind;

nevertheless, despite the current problems in the Middle

East, there exists ample evidence that Europe, both East and

West, is entering an exciting period in its history that may

bring it a lasting peace, in addition to an improved economy

throughout the legion. Anything, of course, is possible.

All of the players, the European nations, need to work out as

best they can their own destinies, but this time in concert

with one another. On the other hand, news pbout the Middle

East keeps us "glued" to our TV sets. Through it all,

the Palestinian issue seems to have been put on the back

burner, or forgotten completely. That is the nature of the

evening news: If it's not "red hot" it's "too cold to

serve."

Palestinians:

Ir time, hopefully, a peace can be worked out for

the Middle East. Peace cannot take place, however, without

making room for everyone at the inn, i. e., the Palestinians.

This rhetoric is not empty; instead, it simply echoes what

most people already know and are now willing to say aloud.

When will the Palestinians find a home (Abourezk, J. G.,

Advise and Dissent, 1989)?

not to be compromised!

Israel's security, of course, is

9


7

The Children of the Third World:

Radio, television, newspapers, and magazines,

around the country are carrying stories about the telegenic

Children's Summit at the United Nations that began September

30, 1990. Unfortunately, the United States seems to be left

"out in the cold," because the White House refuses to sign

what 109 nations have signed: the UN convention on the

rights of children. It turns out the document conflicts with

individual state laws especially as they relate to "when

the life of a child begins and is contrary to some state laws

because it prohibits certain criminal punishment, including

the death penalty, for children under age 18" (McNulty, T. J.

September 30, 1990, Chicago Tribune, Section 1, p. 4).

Africans and African-Americans:

If the poor get poorer in a rich ccuntry such as

ours, what about the poor of the world? Is their lot getting

any better? The political reality of the African nations is

that, despite recent efforts to assist countries, e. g.,

Ethiopia, the tide of poverty has not significantly changed.

One reason is that the struggle for power in that country has

resulted in "people abuse" as food is used to coerce its

citizens into submission.

Food has become one of America's most powerful

commodities, in the seLse that we have one of the lowest per

capita involvement fn the production of food and we far

surpass the quantity needed to feed our own. In the past

decade the US has continually supplied nations, e. g., the

10


8

USSR with grain shipments. If countries like the US

can meet the needs of a variety of nations, why is it that we

cannot meet the needs of our poor; not just with food, but

with a decent wage above the poverty line. The fact of the

matter is that the rich in America aLs getting richer while

the poor are getting poorer. Note the following according to

the US Census Bureau:

1. 31.5 million Americans have incomes below the

government's official poverty level of $12,675 for a family

of four (12.8% of the US population)

2. One-fifth of all children under 18 are

classified as poor, bui-

3. 50% of all BLACK children under age 6 are

living in poverty!

4. The Reagan--Bush economic expansion of the

1980s that promised to eradicate poverty proved two things:

A. the longest economic expansion in history could

be achieved, while

B. the problems of poverty and income distribution

could not, or would not, be resolved.

("The Poor Get Poorer," Septemher 30, 1990, St. Louis Post

Dispatch, p. 2B).

Asians:

Are Asians and Asian-Americans faring better than

their Black and Hispanic counte,parts worldwide?

"Percentage-wise," nearly one out of two people on earth is

Asian. Countries such as China and India are struggling to

.11


9

improve their economy. Population control is imperative if

they wish to improve their condition. Thus far, China has

managed to control their population better than has India;

however, there have been charges of infanticide leveled

against China. Meanwhile, The Christian Science Monitor

Monthly reports "Long eclipsed by China and Japan, India has

quietly become a major high-tech and military force"

(Challaney, B., "Passage to Power," pp. 24-32).

Nevertheless, India according to CNN is abusing their young

brides. Young female children are treated with less respect

than is accorded their male counterparts (CNN's Wide World

Report, September 30, 1990).

Hispanics and Hispanic-Americans:

If Spain and Portugal are now full partners in the

European Community and enjoying new prosperity in the midst

of peace along with fellow EC nations, what about their

former colonies? Angola is slowly working out its problems

now that the armies of Cuba and those supported by SQuth

Africa and Western sympathizers have left. We hear less and

less, however, about the Spanish Sahara; evidently, it is not

important enough to make the daily newspapers and

broadcasting in the US.

Moving to our hemisphere, we might also say that

events in the Middle East 'lave upstaged a decade or more of

news from Central America. Now that Panama and Nicaragua no

longer pose a threat--not that they ever really did--we can

concentrate on a new dialogue with the major Latin American

12

-Historicity, TV, and the Worid

10

players, and, thus, open the door to an eQonomic alliance

with our neighboLs to the south: Free trade agreements!

Peace does not seem to be a problem in this part of

the world. Eight Latin nations have replaced dictaduras, or

military led governments with civilian 'rule. The question

is "doer peace and improved economy enhance the chances for a

higher standard of living by all Latins?" The answer, cf

course, is not necessarily so. What was stated earlier

concerning the Reagan-Bush administration can

to the Latin paradigm.

The comparison is Aade simply to point out

also be applied

that

when nations improve their economies in times of peace, we

might expect the benefits to reach the entire population.

Latin Americans by comparison, however, lag so far behind

us that any improvement made by their governments is most

assuredly apt to benefit them. The middle class in most

South American countries is far smaller than ours.

The case of Peru serves as a microcosm for many

third world countries. Hernando de Soto's work best

exemplifies what people can do on their own when the

government "butts out" (The Other Path, 1989). Illegal

businesses, that compete alongside legal businesses,

comprise billions of dollars of assets and provide more than

half of the many services that benefit Peruri.ans. In time

illegal businesses become certified by the state: capitalism

in its purest form! The Psiruvian government, as a result,

increases its GNP.

. 1 3


11

C]oser to home, Hispanic-Americans will soon over-

take Black Americans as the largest minority. Spanish is now

the second language in the US. Crime in the major American

cities, however, affect Hispanics, as well as Blacks, low-

income Whites, and Asians. East Los Angeles has long been

the home of gangs who originally existed to protect their

families and homes. Today they are, of course, extensions of

organized crime. The National Rifle Association continues

its lobby to provide us with as many weapons as we please;

and, Cuban Americans in Miami now carry substantial weapons

to protect themselves in a hostile environment. Many of

them, no doubt, are very young (Adler, J., et al, September

24, 1990, p. 83).

Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics worldwide, like the rest

of humanity, are attempting to improve their lots in life.

Mass communication, nevertheless, has not kept pace with the

real needs of these people. The nature of the "beast" has

been to present information that reflects the concerns of

multi-national corporations over the humanitarian neds of

people in the third world.. A steady diet of TV viewing,

oftentimes, is a banal installment by the networks of

familial situation comedies, while the rest of the world

cries. 40,000 children die everyday (Preivogel, M. W.,

"Summit..." September 30, 1990, St. Louis Post-Dispatch,

p. 1A).

Still, ASIAN (Alliance of South East Asian Nations)

has demonstrated, all too well, that once-traditional third

14


12

world countries can surmount the holocaust of war, WWII, and

Lise to challenge the rest of the world with economic might.

These nations, Japan and the Four Little Dragons: Taiwan,

Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore, are now among the planet's

most prosperou0 people. Hopefully, they will do their share

to improve living conditions for the children of the world.

In this regard, communication plays an important role.

The Eyes and Ears of the Planet:

Television, in the midst of everything that is

happening on the planet, remains the "eyes" and "ears" of the

world. The monitor of TV relates what the camera sees and

hears, as it were. Nevertheless, what television presents to

its viewers oftentimes is a specific point of view. This

view, of course, is the director's and editor's concept and

final statement arrived at individually, or as a team.

Afterwards, the viewers are asked to make decisions about the

trustworthiness and accuracy of the medium, with little or no

knowledge about the issues or matters brought before them.

Obviously, specialists in the fields of these issues or

matters discussed can make more intelligent judgments vip-a-

vis the rightness or wrongness of a statement.

For the most part, though, television directors and

editors have a free reign in the "who," "what," and "how"

information is structured for the American nublic, as long as

they do not upset the producers, who in turn are responsible

to the Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.>.

15


13

The F.C.C. and Deregulation:

The period of deregulation, mostly under the

Reagan Administration, saw then F.C.C. Commissioner Mark

Fowler support broadcasters over government bureaucracy,

e. g., rules such as the "Fairness Doctrine" disappeared

(Head, S., and Sterling, C.). Other F.C.C. Commissioners in

the past such as Newton Minnow felt that the public had to be

protected from broadcasting's capriciousness and lack of

concern. The "public interest, convenience, and necessity"

criterion, that loosely translated means "in the public's

welfare," then, was instituted in the 1934 Federal

Communications Act in order to enforce the idea that the

airways belong to the people and that broadcasters, moreover,

have a responsibility to broadcast in favor of the public's

concern. This fundamental philosophy remains the cornerstone

of American broadcasting. Mark Fowler was not successful in

transferring this ownership to broadcasters.

Broadcasters, then, must provide quality

programming that is relevant to the culture of the people.

This idea has further been enforced in numerous instances

where minorities have complained that programming in their

area of the country did not relate to them as -a group. As a

result of this criterion, therefore, broadcasting since 1934

has endeavored to br ng relevant "F:h quality" programming

to all of its listeners and viewers; and, this in turn has

earned it the uespect of most Americans. The same might be

said of our external broadcasting services, especially that

16

Historicity, TV, and tk,-.) World

14

of the Voice of America, referred to affectionately, by

Director Richard Carlson and his very able staff, simply as

the "Voice."

After all, television year after year, according to

A. C. Nielsen (Chicago), is the most trusted medium by

American consumers. Who is to say whether or not the

F.C.C.'s leadership, over the past decades, does not deserve

a great deal of credit for TV's high credibility? Here is

where the television critic can fulfill the important task of

determining for the uninformed where television has succeeded

and where television has failed in its reiponsibility to the

public: Who is responsible for the quality of television?

Is it the government, the producers, or the public?

Professional critics trained in historicity, with a strong

liberal arts background, including course work in ethics, aie

needed to advise government, TV producers, and the citizenry,

because they are all affected.

The TV Critic's Responsibility:

How should the critic proceed? Perhaps the

most difficult task a human being is called upon to do, is

to evaluate. Yet, each waking hour of the day people make

many deci.sions based on what television has taught them.

And yes, once again, it is precisely television's high

credibility that in turn draws the masses. If these two

propositions were not true, then television"s advertisers

wo:ild send the bulk of their money elsewhere, to other media.

No, advertising on television is alive and well and dollar

17


15

for dollar, according to mass communication professors Melvin

Defluer and Everette Dennis, television is by far the best

investment (Understanding Mass Communication).

The Ratings Game and the need to Survive:

The problem with television is that ratings

become paramount for the capitalist. This case is true here

in America as in the NTSC nations (those nations whose

television technology is based on ours: National Television

Systems Committee). The higher the ratings.the more revenue

a given network or station can charge for television's

precious time. We have already passed the 1 million dollar-

per-commercial-minute (dpcm) . Events like the "Super Bowl"

and the "World Series" become the pace-setters in breaking

the dpcm record. Prime-time in the evening hours, of course,

garners the greatest amount of money for the various networks

and local stations. The name of the game, therefore, is

money!

Mass communicologists, like econ.:.mists, et al.,

however, recognize that we all have to earn a living by

competing in a capitalistic society. Advertising, thus, is

here to stay. Considering the foregoing, the TV critic by

and large reconciles television's economic saliency. The

features that contribute to television's survival, then, are

of little Concern to most critics of the medium, who prefer

instead to concentrate on the more aesthetic aspects produced

by the "flow and glow" of TV.


16

The Money Machine versus the Content of TV:

The TV critic, once again, sees economics as the

concern of the capitalist and, therefore, dismisses it

outright! But, content, the content of television, that is a

thing apart: Programming not advertising. If critics do not

want to deal with critiquing advertising, they can at least

do a good job critiquing the regular programming.

Admitting the above, how does the critic approach

the profession? If we ask the critic what type of criticism

he or she applies to the medium, we are apt to come

away with little more than a "subjective" view on the part of

the critic: usually a personal preference; or, a personal

bias.

One of the reasons for this dilemma is that most

universities do not offer course work in television

criticism. (Simply contact the nearest university, or

several universities to see if this is not the case.) When

the course is offered, quite often it is not offered on a

regular basis. Insufficiency, then, becomes the norm. At

the very least, let us remedy this condition by offering

proper and sufficient course work, including television

criticism classes that incorporate "historicity" so that

educated critics can then perform Cle important task of

critiquing television. The importance of putting

subjectivity aside, in favor of utilizing real criteria,

cannot be over-emphasized.

19

s.

k.,

:

-,

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17

Historicity, the Critic's Friend:

When it comes to critiquing television news,

documentaries, features, or historical profiles, at the

national or international level, no present style of

criticism has more advantages for the TV critic than does

"historicity." Historicity, "the science of writing

history," prepares the TV critic by teaching her/him hola to

apply the criteria used "to critique history" "to critique

television"; present and future generations can thus learn

the truth about our universe.

Historicity, however, need not replace the use of

statistics. The latter can still be used to yield

information where historicity may be found wanting due to its

qualitative nature. That is not at issue here. The

qualitative historical stylology (historicity) that asks the

critic "to interpret information based on facts" and that can

be recognized by the critic's "use of interrogative

pionouns," that is what is demanded.

Dominic LaCapra, Cornell University, maintains

that it is high time scholars from throughout academia come

together to discuss historicity, the science of writing

history (History and Criticism, 1985). LiRewise, G. Kitson

Clark, Cambridge University, states that the time has come

to look at what "passes" for history, because much of what

passes would never have passed if it were left up to the

scrutiny of the town lawyer (The Critical Historian, 1967).

Therefore, let the discussion, the colloquium,

20


18

begin! Let us challenge our colleagues in our colleges and

universities to create criticism-related course work. Let

us challenge each other to use "historicity" in the present

as we'have used "statistics" in the past. Both can benefit

the TV critic. And when we see television news, of a

historical nature, that we know to be false, we can all

challenge the integrity of the presenters. In this fashion,

mis-information and dis-information is corrected.

History can be and should be a correct assessment

of what happened, is happening, and what might happen. Yes,

proper historicity is the act of interpreting facts

correctly. As Clark points out in his book The Critical

Historian, "facts are not history," instead, "history rests

on facts (1967) ."

The International Scholar/The Latinamericanist:

The.international scholar will benefit from using

the TV critic's historical style in critiquing television,

because much of what we are eager to discover is presented on

television long oefore it ever appears in print. We can make

television more accountable to the scholar by demanding

greater scrutiny of stories, etc., on the part of TV

reporters and announcers. The international scholar,

moreover, usually possesses a higher or greater degree of

preparation in the areas of history, political-economy, and

sociology at the international level, than is usually the

case with the average news disseminator. The

Latinamericanists, as international scholars, can no longer

21


avoid the content of television simply because the print

media appears mora academic. Television carries history,

quickly and efficiently.

Through Whose Eyeglasses?:

An eclectic approach to critiquing television

is also possible (Oseguera, Critiquing TV/TBF, 1990). As

Marshall McLuhan said some years ago, we all see the world

through our own set of eyeglasses (The Medium is the

Massage, 1967) . McLuhan, of course, was speaking of

television viewing. And, it is thus with TV. We each bring

our experiences and expertise to the viewing of TV. The more

scholars learn about the nature and purpose of TV, and the

more we learn to differentiate the lapidary from the liminal,

i. e., the differentiation of television's content, the more

accurate will be our evaluation of television.

With proper feedback to thuse concerned, the

producers, the government, and the people, the real potential

of television can be tapped; the ability to tell stories

honestly and sincerely will carry the day.

Summary:

The communication technologies of television and

common carriers have an important correlativity to message

formation, due to their ability to bring us information at

lightning speed. We are thus placed out of harm's way.

However, historicity, television criticism, and international

broadcasting, when brought together as: the science of

writing history, by the TV critic, in order to critique

22


20

international broadcasting, can be useful when correctlyemployed. International scholars might choose this style asan alternative to quantitative style, statistics, in order tobetter "interpret" what information passes for history ontelevision. Television, moreover, should now be regarded asa research source, because it brings us information, live,

from around the world: instantly.

Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics worldwide, like therest of humanity, are attempting to improve their lots inlife. Mass communication, nevertheless, has not kept pacewith the real needs of these people. Banal network TV

installments still take precedence over third world concerns.The UN Summit, on behalf of the children of the world, is an

important communication.event. Hopefully, ASEAN, once

developing nations themselves, can by their example and by

their assistance join the effort to help children throughoutthe world.

Unfortunately, the masses, by and large, seem to

trust television, but are not academically equipped to

interpret television's messages scientifically: using

"historicity." Many professionals in the industry, reporters

and announcers, also lack training in historicity and

television criticism, as do members of government; therefore,

colleges and universities can and should provide course work

that enhances television criticism. Important feedback will

thus be provided to society determining the medium of

television's honesty and sincerity, in its effort to

23


21

formulate television news, as well as, the additional

programming genres. Integrity can be enhanced.

Conclusion:

We can no longer tolerate a condition where

"popular" critics tell us what is "right" or "wrong" with

television, because they lack the proper education: course

work in TV criticism that includes knowledge of historicity

and its application to critiquing TV. Simple whimsical

analysis with disregard for "specific" criteria will not pass

muster. Instead, we must insist on higher ground! Preparing

critics, in the "formal" sense, with the proper tools of TV

criticism, using historicity, statistics when appropriate,

and other stylology, are what is needed to properly interact

with TV.

The interaction between properly trained critics

and professional newscasters and their reporters will

result in better television. "Mis-information" and "dis-

information" on the part of both announcer and critic can

only exacerbate the climate of television.

Finally, when individuals are properly educated and

perform in the same fashion, all of society gains from the

act. The best citizenry, after all, is a correctly informed

one. We cannot be deceived, nor can we be incorrectly

informed when television critics, formerly trained in their

craft, alert us to discrepancies in the reportage of national

and international broadcasting.

When the time arrives that peace and prosperity are

24

to


22

commonplace on our planet, where the children of the world

can play in the full realization that the future is really

theirs, it will be because broadcasting changed its course to

more accurately and effectively present the world to the

world as it really is: one ready to be born.

i

;


23

References

Adler, J., Leonard, E. A., Katel, P., Picker, L., and .

Cohen, B. (1990 September 24) . Armed and DanGerous.

Newsweek, pp. 81 & 83.

Abourezk, J. G. (1989) . Advise and dissent. Lawrence Hill

Books.

4Chellaney, B. (1990 February). Passage to power. Christian

Science Monitor Monthly, pp. 24-32.

Clark, G. K. (1967) . The critical historian. New York:

Basic Books, Inc., Publishers.

CNN Wide World Report. (1990 September 30) . CNN.

Defleur, M., Dennis, E. (1988). Understanding mass

communication. Geneva, IL: Houghton-Mifflin

Company.

De Soto, H. (1989) The Other Path. (Translated by June

Abbott: Spanish: El otro sendero) . St. Louis:

(Perennial Library) Harper & Row, Publishers.

Freivogel, M. W. (1990 September 30). Summit on children

begins. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p. 1P & 7A)

Head, S., and Sterling, C. (1987). Broadcasting in America,

5th ed. Geneva, IL: Houghton-I4ifflin Company.

LaCapra, D. (1985). History and criticism. Ithaca, NY:

Cornell University Press.

McLuhan, M. (1967). The medium is the massage: An

inventory of effects. New York: Bantam Books.

McNulty, T. J. (1990 September 30). U.S. out in cold, won't

sign pact on children. Chicago Tribune, Section 1, p.4.

26


24

Neilsen, A. C. (1990). Chicago.

Oseguera, A. A. (1990). Critiquing TV/TBF: An eclectic

approach. (Contact author about manuscript,

Part 1: Historicity as applied to television criticism;

Part 2: Classical theatre and the TV critic; or sde:

ERIC for Part 3: TV criticism; A multifarious

approach).

The poor get poorer. (1990 September 30). Editorial.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p. 2B.

'


Acknol .dgernents

To Dean Jon Laible and Chairperson Doug Bock,

thanks for your support:

25

END

U.S. Dept. of Edw

Office of EducalResearch and

Improvement (OE

IMIIM /MO

ed 325 884 cs 507 325 oseguera, a. anthony world scholar. … · 2014-03-24 · docifigki-rtsuke ed...

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